


Mirror Mirror (New Year's Eve)

by written_in_starlight



Series: The Astral Chronicles [6]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:20:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21715210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/written_in_starlight/pseuds/written_in_starlight
Summary: It's New Year's Eve, a time of new beginnings, but Aiden is still fixated on Astral, trying to figure out a way to get back, trying to make everything feelokayagain.For once, they're safe within a city's walls. Aiden takes the time to relax a little and learn a little more about the world that's stolen his heart.
Series: The Astral Chronicles [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1468171





	Mirror Mirror (New Year's Eve)

Aiden closed the door behind him, cutting off the sounds of all those _people_ downstairs. Nothing about this was even remotely okay. He felt cold, his chest aching from the lack of magic running through his veins, but yet he was flushed and panting from the heat of the lower floor. He could theoretically leave the house at any point, but he felt more trapped than ever, even when Maddox had thrown him in the dungeons for weeks on end. 

Aiden paced restlessly, tugging at his hair. It was obnoxiously short, at that length where it couldn’t quite fit in a ponytail, but was too long to leave loose most of the time. The last time it had been this short was when Aiden had first fallen into Astral, and he spent the summer training with Finn and blowing loose strands out of his eyes.

Aiden cursed. This wasn’t _right_. He was eighteen, a fighter, a pyromancer, a dragon rider, not fifteen, magicless, and _useless_. Aiden didn’t want to be stuck in this house, this world, this life anymore.

He wanted to go _home_.

_Aiden was grateful that Starfire was naturally so warm as she draped herself around his neck. The additional warmth to ward off winter’s chill was welcomed, and Aiden almost didn’t mind the weight on his shoulders._

_He and Starfire were currently wandering the streets of Arkala, watching life pass by. It had been so long since they had been somewhere relatively safe, and Aiden couldn’t help but habitually check over his shoulder every once in a while to see if he was being followed, to try and catch a glimpse of coffee- or cream-colored livery._

We’re being followed, _Starfire purred to Aiden._

_“You think I don’t know that?” Aiden turned a corner, narrowly stepping out of the way of a wagon rushing past._

You don’t seem concerned.

_“It’s Will and Jared,” Aiden chuckled. “Not like they’re hunting me down to kill me. Or whatever Maddox wants to do with me.”_

You won’t see what they want? 

_“I’m not stopping them from catching up.” Aiden rubbed his hands together for warmth, and Starfire leaned over and blew on them, little flames licking from her mouth. “Thanks.” Aiden grinned, then turned and started heading up the hill. He wanted a vantage point. “So if they want to not so subtly follow me, that’s their prerogative. I’m just wandering and checking out Astral life.”_

What’s it like in your world? 

_“So much different.” Aiden paused, looking out over Arkala. “But if I’m honest, I think I prefer it here.”_

Be that as it may, I want stories. 

_“Alright hatchling,” Aiden teased._

_It was then that the twins finally made themselves known._

_“Dearest Aiden.” Jared draped himself over Aiden’s shoulders, dislodging Starfire._ _The little dragon hissed in displeasure as she leapt free._

_“You know, I think I prefer Starfire,” Aiden said, shrugging Jared off and holding his arms out for Starfire. “She’s warmer.”_

_Will snickered, but Jared was undeterred. “What do you know about Valencia’s Eve?”_

_“I’m going to give you three guesses,” Aiden said dryly, holding Starfire close and relishing the warmth that blossomed in his chest and fingertips._

_“I figured. Come on. We have adventures to go on.”_

Aiden had figured he didn’t have most of the supplies he wanted, but he still clicked his tongue in annoyance. He didn’t know if any place was open this late on New Year’s Eve, but he would just have to hope. He didn’t even know if this would work, if it would help anything, but he had to _try_. 

And so Aiden slipped back downstairs, winding his way through the crowds of tipsy adults, teenagers not so subtly trying to sneak champagne from their parents, and smaller kids running around playing games the one night they were allowed to stay up late. Luckily, nobody spared him a second glance, and he was able to sneak into the mud room to grab his shoes and coat. 

“Aid?” 

Or maybe he hadn’t been so subtle. 

“Where are you going?” 

Aiden didn’t want to meet James’s eye. “Out.” 

The silence was heavy between them, but James broke it first. He always broke it first. 

“Out where?” 

Why was he keeping this a secret? “Wherever’s open.” Aiden shrugged noncommittally. 

“As in?”

“Wherever’s open and I can get things I want.” 

“Like?” 

“Things.” Aiden couldn’t exactly explain it was something he picked up in a magical land he'd spent three years living in. 

“Wonderfully vague.” James’s voice was dry. 

“I know.” 

“Want company?” 

Aiden shrugged. Half of him wanted to cry yes, the other half didn’t want to get attached again, knowing he would leave this world behind in a heartbeat if he could return to Astral. 

But it was James, and Aiden had always loved him, even through his three-year absence, and he eventually nodded. 

“Let’s go then.” 

Aiden looked up to see James pulling on his other shoe, having sneakily gotten dressed while Aiden was lost in thought. 

“Sooner we go, sooner we’re back before anybody notices, eh?” James winked. “I’ve been meaning to grab more prank supplies anyways.” 

“Oh, so I’m an enabler?” The banter came easy to Aiden, now that the topic was veering away from Astral. 

“Dear. You learned to pick locks to enable me.” 

“No, I learned to pick locks because I was pissed at Vanderson for giving me detention when I didn’t deserve it.” 

“And who’s idea was the revenge?” James asked. 

“You’re determined to paint yourself in a bad light, aren’tcha.” 

“I’m determined to give credit where credit is due,” James smirked. 

It didn’t take long for Aiden’s fingers to lose feeling in the frigid weather, and he ached with longing for Astral, where Starfire would blow flames on his hands to warm them, or he could summon them himself if he was so inclined. 

But James grabbed his hand, twining their fingers together and putting both in his pocket, and while he still couldn’t feel his fingertips, Aiden clung to each interaction, each precious moment he had with James.

_“So you drag me off with cryptic words and you still won’t explain why.” Aiden scratched Starfire’s scales, and she let out a sound that reminded Aiden strongly of a cat purring._

_“You didn’t notice how busy it was?” Jared asked as they climbed higher and higher through the keep._

_“My frame of reference is really quite poor,” Aiden replied. “Calcheth was preparing for war, Will says Agea’s a major trade city, and Weslyn was as good as a ghost town by the time we got there.”_

And you ditched us before we really got anywhere in the mountains, _Will added with a sly grin._

_“And who’s fault is that?”_

You’re the one that fell. 

_“You’re the one who didn’t warn me!”_

And look where that got us. _Will smirked and gestured to the content little dragon in Aiden’s arms._

_“Just because you’re right doesn’t mean you’re right. But anyways,” he cut off whatever snarky remark was to come, “will one of you explain what’s going on?”_

I’ll leave that to Jared the historian over here. 

_“Just because I actually like the stories and legends,” Jared rolled his eyes. Aiden briefly wondered just how_ large _this keep was as they turned yet another corner. “But anyways, Valencia’s Eve is sorta like a celebration of the beginning of Astral. The stories say it’s when the East and West were united, and even further back than that, when the first people came to Astral.”_

Weren’t there people here before then? 

_“How much of a history lesson do you want?” Jared replied to his twin._

_“I’m down,” Aiden laughed._

_“Okay, so even further back. There were… I hesitate to say people because they weren’t exactly.”_

Like the difference between elves and us? 

_“Exactly. So those were the Celestials, and they inhabited Astral. Mostly the East, so when Valencia and her crew landed in the West, they decided to settle here since it was mostly empty. Time goes by, the Western Kingdom flourishes, the Celestials show a bit of interest but decide to leave them alone. Ultimately, the Celestials decide to leave Astral for unknown reasons, and so Pandora, a descendant of Valencia, decides to unite the East and West when they do.”_

_“And what happened to the Celestials?” Aiden asked._

_“Who knows,” Jared shrugged. “Really, the only one there’s stories about are Jupiter, because he stayed when the rest of the Celestials left. But that’s a tale for later. Long story short, Valencia’s Eve is named for the first queen of Astral, to celebrate her arrival, and the eventual unification of East and West, and it takes place in late winter at the full moon.”_

_“Okay, but why are you two dragging me places?” Aiden asked._

_“You’ll see.”_

_And the next door they went through put them on the roof, where Aiden could see all Arkala spread out beneath him._

James, to his credit, didn’t question anything that Aiden bought, only insisting on driving the cart and riding it through the aisles at speeds that made Aiden worry and laugh simultaneously. Luckily at home, their disappearance had gone unnoticed, but Aiden hesitated when James insisted on accompanying him upstairs before the selfish part of him gave in. 

“Rapid-fire.” 

Aiden looked up at James, who was lounging on his bed and had been on his phone last Aiden checked. Now though, the other boy was looking at Aiden upside down, his upper body hanging off the side of the bed. 

“We haven’t done that since we met,” Aiden replied.

“So?” 

Aiden shook his head with a smile. “You would think you wouldn’t have any more questions about me, considering you did ask me out.” 

“In what way would it be out of character for me to ask somebody out without knowing everything about them?” 

“You’ve known me for a year and a half now.” 

“How often do I ask remotely personal questions outside of rapid-fire?” 

Aiden decided to counter with a question of his own. “Why do you want to do rapid-fire?” 

“So you’ll do it?” 

Aiden pondered it for a moment. “Okay. Your idea, so you answer first. Why?” 

“I have questions.” 

“Such as?” 

“My turn.” 

Aiden stuck his tongue out at James. 

“Whatcha doing?” 

“Making a thing.” 

“What’s the thing?” 

“Hypocrite.” Aiden rolled his eyes. “What type of questions?” 

“A lot. Usual rapid-fire questions. Other things I’m curious about.” Aiden bit back his follow-up question. “What’s the thing?” 

“A thing you will see in less than,” Aiden checked the clock, “three hours. I want to get it done before midnight.” 

“Fine,” James sighed, though he was still smiling.

“Why rapid-fire rather than just ask?” 

“Because you’ll adhere to the rules of rapid-fire and actually answer.” James smirked. 

“Bastard.” 

“Love you too. Talked to your mom about getting your hair cut soon?” 

Aiden had almost forgotten that had been a thing. “Nah. Think I’m gonna grow it out actually. Why?” 

“Curious. You were bitching about it up till Christmas.”

Up until Astral.

“What made you change your mind?” 

Three years of having it long. The late summer evening when they had sat around the fire and Jared and Will cut each other’s hair, and Jared offered to cut Aiden’s. And Aiden had twirled his hair around a finger and realized that he liked it this length, and turned down Jared’s offer. 

“Just realized I kinda like it long.” Aiden shrugged, but the reminder of Astral, as bittersweet as it always was, had reminded him of something. “Do you know somebody called Daniel?”

Aiden knew James would be itching to ask _why,_ but to his credit, he responded first. “Don’t think I do. Why?” 

There it was. 

“Met somebody a while back,” Aiden explained with another shrug. “Looked scary like you. Went by Daniel. Curious if you knew.” 

“Huh.” James was softly frowning. 

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.” 

“Rapid-fire. I can’t control you.” James smiled, though it quickly turned into a smirk. “And you can’t control me.” 

“Oh no,” Aiden said levelly, though he couldn’t hide his smile. As much as he missed Astral now, he had missed _James._

_“When we were kids, you could see all Astral light up on Valencia’s Eve,” Jared said, staring out at the mountains that loomed behind them._

_“I lived in Ilasea, before Maddox,” Rose said quietly. “I remember it was always so colorful and bright.”_

_“And now?” Aiden wasn’t quite sure he wanted to know the answer._

_“People have lost hope,” Finn muttered._

It’s a symbol of hope, _Will explained._ After a long, hard winter, spring will always come. 

_“And the next year will be better,” Jared continued._

_Aiden mused that it sounded somewhat similar to New Year’s Eve back home._

_“The resistance still celebrates,” Rose said. “Arkala, and if you look hard we might be able to see Calcheth over the mountains.”_

_“_ _If there’s anybody left in Calcheth,” Finn reminded her. “They were all on the move to the Western Kingdom when we left.”_

 _“_ _Then we’ll see all the pockets spread throughout the West,” Rose replied._

_As they spoke, below them Arkala started to light up in the dusk, the lights sparkling off of the lake and looking like stars._

_“The hope of the resistance,” Rose said quietly. “To beat back the darkness Maddox has brought to Astral.”_

_Finn wrapped an arm around her as Will placed a hand on Jared’s shoulder to draw his attention._

_“Well then.” Jared seemed to shake off his deep thoughts. “You two are done?”_

_Rose nodded as Finn raised an eyebrow. “What do you expect?”_

_Jared narrowed his eyes at his partner. “Alright sassy boy,” he said. “Come on Aid, we have work to do.”_

_“And they tolerate each other why?” Aiden asked Will lowly._

Because deep down they actually are friends. Also being paired by the resistance and the fact they both know each other’s strengths and weaknesses so a proper fight would end terribly. 

_“You know what, that’s fair. So, what are we doing?”_

_Will smirked and pushed him in Jared’s direction._

“So it is currently,” James checked the clock, “a half hour to midnight.” 

“You are correct.” Aiden didn’t take his eyes off his work as he carefully dragged the paintbrush across paper. 

“So, mind telling me what exactly you’re doing?” James wriggled impatiently in Aiden’s lap. 

“You’ll see when it’s done. And stop squirming, you’re gonna make me mess up.” 

James stopped moving with a huff, before turning his head. “Whatcha painting?” 

Aiden picked it up and set it on James’s face. “You’ll see.” 

“You’re a brat.” James’s voice was no less petulant for being muffled. 

“I know.” Aiden grinned softly as he moved it back to its previous spot. 

“Can I ask a question?” 

“Have I ever been able to stop you?” 

James stuck out his tongue before asking, “Is this related to your disappearance?” 

Aiden paused, closing his eyes as the cold in his chest rose to choke him. But he couldn’t lie to James. “A little bit, yes.” 

“Where did you go?” 

“I can’t tell you.” 

“Can’t, or won’t?” 

“Both.” 

James sighed, closing his eyes and pressing his forehead to Aiden’s stomach. “Why not?” 

“You wouldn’t believe me.” 

“Try me.” 

“I would rather not.” 

“Aiden.” 

“James.” 

“You’re a brat.” 

“You’ve said so.” 

Silence fell for a moment. 

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course.” Aiden paused his painting, nudging James until he rolled over and opened his eyes. “It’s not a question of trust,” he said, making sure James met his eyes. “I trust you James. I really do. But you wouldn’t believe me if I told you what happened.” 

James closed his eyes again with a sigh. “Alright. If you say so.” 

Aiden hesitated, then quickly painted a heart on James’s cheek. 

James grinned wryly. “Is this what I get for trusting you?” 

“Yup.” Aiden leaned down and kissed his unpainted cheek. 

“Then,” James said, sitting up and snagging the paintbrush before Aiden could protest, “this is what you get for trusting me.”

Aiden just laughed as James swiped the paintbrush across his cheek in retaliation, and squeaked as James tugged him close to kiss him. 

“Retribution.” James punctuated each syllable with a kiss. 

“Whatever,” Aiden laughed. “Just as long as I can get my thing done before midnight.” 

“Then afterwards?” James smirked. 

“We’ll see.” Aiden winked playfully, the cold ache in his chest held at bay by James’s presence in his lap.

_“Are you ever going to explain exactly this is for?” Aiden asked as the twins rejoined him._

_“Eventually,” Jared grinned. “You done?”_

_“I think so?”_

_Aiden had painted a dragon, albeit a crude rendition of one. Even Starfire, once she had realized what he was trying to do, had huffed in displeasure, and had only been lured back to his shoulders by the strips of meat Aiden kept on him for bribery._

_“Wow. You weren’t kidding when you said you couldn’t draw.”_

_Aiden scowled and flicked paint at Jared, who ducked out of the way with a laugh._

_“Come on, it’s almost time.”_

_“Almost time for what?”_

You’ll see _, Will said cryptically._

_Aiden rolled his eyes but continued following the twins’ lead._

“Sneaky Aiden,” James smirked as he joined Aiden on the roof. “I like it.” 

Aiden just rolled his eyes with a grin, surveying his surroundings. The quiet suburb spread out behind him, but he faced towards the woods, preferring to stare at the dark, snowy branches.

_Aiden leaned out over the battlements. This side of the keep was at the edge of the outcropping Arkala was settled on, and Aiden could dimly see the lake glimmering below. Behind him was the city itself, sprawling down the hill and sparkling with lamplight and fires._

“What time is it?” Aiden asked. 

“11:57.” James had obviously just checked, as he answered with barely a pause.

_“So?” Aiden asked, pulling himself back safely onto the roof._

_“Soon. It’s usually about midnight, but each city usually follows the lead of the leader.”_

_Aiden glanced over at Lord Izaan._

_“So yes, we’ll watch him for the cue.” Jared noticed his glance with a grin._

Aiden carefully pulled out his book of matches. “Where’d you get that?” James whistled, a teasing grin on his face. 

“I bought them, jeez you’re paying attention,” Aiden snarked back, striking a match and carefully lighting the wick.

_Jared lit his wick with a snap of his fingers before turning to help Will. Aiden was about to follow suit when Starfire whined from his shoulders._

_“You wanna light it?” Aiden asked his dragon._

Yes _._

 _“_ _Alright then. Be careful.”_

_Starfire pouted, but carefully blew a puff of flame to light the wick._

“I should have known fire would be involved,” James snickered, but at a look from Aiden, he quieted down and showed Aiden the time. 

_“Good girl.” Aiden rubbed Starfire’s head, and she purred again, increasing in intensity as Aiden gave her a strip of meat._

5  
 _4_  
3  
 _2  
_ 1

 _Lord Izaan descended to the balcony at the front of the keep, then released his lantern._ _Aiden watched as it floated gently into the sky until Jared bumped his shoulder with a quiet,_ _“Go on.”_ _Aiden nudged his own into the air, and it floated up to join the others already soaring._

As the usual sounds of celebration echoed up to the roof, Aiden let go of the lantern and watched as it slowly rose through the air. To his surprise, James didn’t speak, but silently took his hand as he gazed at the drifting lantern.

_Soon the sky was filled with the soft glow of the lanterns soaring from the streets of Arkala. Aiden’s crude dragon danced among them; past Jared’s detailed rendition of a snowy village nestled under an outcropping, Will’s mountain range, Finn’s sword sparkling with green magic, Rose’s pale pink rose gilded with gold and silver stars._

Aiden couldn’t help but think the lantern looked lonely, the carefully painted eight-point star swaying in the breeze. The star that matched the crystal that had been embedded in his palm for three years, that now rested in its original place, on a chain around his neck.

_“Look.” Rose’s voice was soft as she pointed._

_Aiden looked out, and in the distance saw other lanterns rising into the sky, pinpointing the pockets of the resistance scattered through the Western Kingdom. Pinpointing the pockets of hope._

“Hey.”

Aiden tore his eyes away from the lantern as James spoke. 

“This might be a little bit cheesy, but whatever, I’m fine with that, and since this is like, the first New Year’s Eve where we’re like, a couple I was wondering, well—” 

Aiden cut him off with a soft kiss. “If you wanted me to kiss you, all you had to do was ask,” he teased.

“Quit teasing,” James murmured, pulling Aiden into another kiss.

 _And as Aiden looked back up to his lantern floating overhead, he felt determination flare up in him.  
_ Determination to make it back to Astral  
 _to help the resistance defeat Maddox  
_ to go _home.  
_ _He would survive this.  
_ He had to.  
 _To see James again.  
_ To spite Ashe.  
 _And with his friends at his side, a dragon on his shoulders, and magic at his fingertips, Aiden felt unstoppable.  
_ Ashe may have taken his magic, his life, his _home_ , but he could never take away the determination they had sparked in him.  
 _And_ that _resolution_ would _bring_ him _home._


End file.
